Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Do the Puyallup

I headed down to the Puyallup Fair last night and had a blast. Was there any doubt? I sampled the fair's specialties: hamburgers with grilled onions (the stand I went to goes through 7 1/2 tons of beef and 10 tons of grilled onions during the fair) and scones with raspberry jam. I hit the livestock and craft barns, checking out handmade Kleenex boxes and intricate produce arrangements. I talked with a beekeeper and learned all about the benefits of raw honey. I was so busy having fun (and buying locally spun yarn) that I didn't even miss the nausea-inducing Zipper and Matterhorn rides.

But the most interesting thing was talking with people. From the beekeeper to a mom knitting a hat next to her daughter's sheep entry (a bit ironic, I think) to a belly dancer who knits, everyone was happy to chat. Everyone was nice. And when I left with my baker's dozen of scones, I wondered if I could somehow make it back before the Puyallup ends this weekend.

It's because of events like the Puyallup and the people who love it that I wrote The Prairie Girl's Guide to Life. You can have a small-town experience in the biggest of cities. You just need to slow your pace a bit.

"You can do it at a run, you can do it at a gallop, you can do it real slow, so your heart doesn't pal-pi-TATE, just don't be late, do the Puyallup."

The Puyallup Fair runs until September 23rd. Check out more of my fair photos.